Chapter 1: 6

when mom returned later in the day l was getting myself ready to be roasted alive. maybe the man told her or maybe Maine did but that didn't happen

she came to me while l was reading a novel in my room and sat on my bed

mom never did that she never spent so time in my room so they was never a reason for her to even sit

"is everything alright?" l asked with my heart already in my mouth

" you would be spending some days with nana" she said calmly

nana and pops were her parents

" just me?" l asked

" along with Maine and kobby"

why was she sending us away? was this about Simon?

"Nana would be here in the evening so pack your bags. l already packed Maine and kobby's bags" she said and left my room

what was going on? was she really serious?

later in the day l heard her making a call in the sitting room so l stopped to listen

" l promise it will only be for a little while" she said

l couldn't hear the what the recipient said but mom was not pleased

"I am not ashamed of my children neither am l sending them away. it's just for a while, they can't be here with all this going in" mom said angrily

" why are you so difficult? you are just unreasonable. they are your grandchildren too" mom blurted

I left without hearing anything else

did she really not want us? nana always told me how much she loved me to visit and now this?

I hadn't visited nana since Lisa was a baby . she lived in a little town where everyone knew everyone.

well just as mom said nana came in the evening to take us

why was Lisa left behind? l wondered

it was about two hours to get to the town and another 15 minutes to get to her house

when we arrived pops sat outside and came to hug us as nana pulled up the drive way

he hugged Maine first then me and then little kobby who stared clueless. l and nana set down the things and she led us to our rooms.

when l stayed here before l shared a room with Mika but since l was the only girl l had the room to myself while Maine and kobby stayed in the next room

l showered and gave my brothers a bath before having dinner

it was Nana's famous cauliflower rice and veggies

oh! how l missed her cooking

l had the most peaceful rest l have had in months

the beds here we're better than mine both in size and quality. the rooms were scented and the designs were simply fabulous

nana and pops owned a restaurant but had people working under them

nana spent the day at home with us while pops went out

on various occasions l heard nana talk to someone that l guessed was mom

it seemed she didn't want us back as she kept insisting we spent more time

when nana noticed l didn't have a cell phone she got me one immediately.

it was the best moment of my life

I finally had a cell phone

I had asked mom for one on many occasions but she turned me down saying she couldn't afford it and that catering for us was enough financial responsibility

we spent two weeks there and not for one second did l bother about school

when mom came to pick us and found out about the cell phone, she was really mad at nana stating that l was not old enough and that she could care for her own children

she told nana that she didn't need her to buy things for her children because they were not orphans

after the prolonged arguments we left